


Raphael's Mermaid Bride

by PonderRose



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Comedy, F/M, Falling In Love, Forced Marriage, Idiots in Love, Love, Marriage, Mermaids, Mutants, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-06 03:33:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16380590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PonderRose/pseuds/PonderRose
Summary: You- a mermaid- save Raphael from drowning. Now either you have to get married or you have to die; Raphael makes the decision for both of you. Reluctant protagonist and eventual love triangle.





	Raphael's Mermaid Bride

Holy crap….. holy crap! I’m sinking, actually sinking! How can I not know how to swim? I’m a goddamn turtle! Raphael’s arms flailed just above the surface as he tried to take a much-needed breath. No! This can’t be happening! I can’t drown! Dying like this……. so not going to happen! But it was no use; his body just kept sinking and sinking in the warm ocean water. I can’t……. His big green hand pressed tightly up against his mouth, trying to keep what little oxygen was left inside his lungs. I can’t hold my breath any longer! Damn it! I’m actually drowning! Quickly losing consciousness, his arms gave one last attempt to plunge him to the surface. Someone! Anyone! It doesn’t matter who, it could be the Shredder for all I care. Just get me out! 

Sound began deaf as the turtle’s vision began to blur. With no energy left, he just continued to sink with his arms still above him. D-damn, I’m going to…….. But before Raphael could finish his thought, something grabbed hold of his wrist. Tilting his head in such a way that he could see upwards, he didn’t feel any level of shock or astonishment at the sight of this girl- a woman- holding onto him. Her, or rather my, hair was long, spreading out all around me. My light pink tail shimmered in the moonlight. After staring at each other for less than a second, I didn’t hesitate to get him to shore. Unfortunately someone- a whole lot of someones- were already waiting there for us. 

-My Name is Lucrezia and I am a Mermaid-

“Beneath the gently rolling waves of the North Sea, young Raphael’s life is saved and forever changed. But as with any debt, this one too must be repaid. So our story begins. Please humor them with a smile, for young love is never easy.” 

Two hours earlier: 

Raphael yawned as he trailed behind his brothers. “Remind me again why we’re going to the beach?” He called out to Leonardo, who was leading from the front. “I told you, Raph. We’re going to have a little fun.” “Whoever had fun at a beach? It’s nothing but water and salt; and you can’t even drink the water.” “Uh, yeah! You can,” Michelangelo shot back. “Actually, no you can’t,” Donatello retorted to the youngest. “And where…….?” “I tried ocean water before. Aside from its mind-numbing saltiness, it’s not half-bad.” “You’re not supposed to drink sea water, you idiot!” “Uh, earth to Donnie; it’s water and we’re like 90% water.” Ugh, Raphael gave an inward groan. There are a billion other things I can think of better to do than go to some lousy beach. And with these morons too. Argh! It’s just not fair! Why don’t I ever get a say in what we do? What’s there at some crummy beach for me? 

“We’re gonna meet April there, right?” Leonardo asked Donatello. “Yep! I mean yeah, sure; I think so.” He couldn’t pull off the “cool guy” act if his life depended on it, Raphael gave a little side smirk. “Alright! And then we’ll spend the night playing volley ball and collecting shells and swimming!” “You sure it’s a good idea to swim in the dark?” Raphael asked no one in particular. “Sure, why wouldn’t it be?” Donatello glanced at him from over his shoulder. “N-no reason! I’m just not sure……..” “Awe, Raph! You’re no fun! Wait! I think I got it! It’s because you don’t know how to swim, isn’t it?” Michelangelo smirked in victory. Raphael shot him a warning glare. “Are you kidding me? What kind of idiot doesn’t know how to swim?” 

Two hours later: 

“Raphael…… Hey, Raphael!” The turtle’s eyes shot open; the first time since he found himself on dry land. “What the…….?” He let out a tiny, startled gasp. “Do you have any idea how long we’ve been looking for you?” Donatello crossed his arms in a stern fashion. “I thought we agreed not to swim this far. What’s wrong with you? Seriously dude, you had us all really worried. We thought you might have drowned or something.” “D-Donnie…….?” “Were you expecting someone else? Gees, Raph. Come on, let’s head back to the others,” the purple-masked turtle spun around to walk in the opposite direction. 

“Donnie, wait!” Raphael suddenly found the strength to sit up. “S-something happened. I don’t…… I don’t know but I think…… I think I drowned.” “Uh huh,” the other turtle did not look at all amused. “So if you drowned, they why are you here talking to me?” “I don’t know,” Raphael’s eyes sharpened in annoyance. “But I’m telling the truth. Something did happen to me…….. and someone, or something……..” His head suddenly felt hazy. Donatello watched his brother for a moment before gazing out at the water. “Something, you say…… You know what it was; you probably got saved by a mermaid.” “A…… mermaid?” In that instant, just for the briefest of seconds, a girl with long dark brown hair with pink at the ends flashed through his mind. He distinctly noticed her pink, shining tail. 

“A mermaid…….” Raphael repeated to himself. “I was being sarcastic, Raph,” Donatello’s eyes rolled at the seriousness in his brother’s face. “You were probably just dreaming. Come on, let’s go.” “Hey Donnie, I’m not making this up!” Raphael scrambled to his feet to chase after him. While they went down the beach, I meanwhile was watching from a high rock in the distance. Oh, so there is more than one turtle like him? My eyes widened a bit. Interesting…… 

“Hahahaha you got saved by a mermaid?! I knew it!” “Knew what? That mermaids really do exist?” “No! That Raph can’t swim!” This earned Michelangelo a whack on the back of the head from a more-than-irritated Raphael. He wasn’t pleased with the reception he was getting over his almost-drowning tale. “Mikey, there’s no such things as mermaids,” April offered with a smile. “Yeah, but there shouldn’t be anything like us either. How do we know that mermaids don’t exist?” “Uh, because no one’s ever seen one before?” Leonardo replied. “So! No one’s, uh besides us, has ever seen a mutant turtle before but we exist!” “That’s…….. actually pretty good logic, Mikey,” Donatello scratched the side of his head while gazing up. “Told ya! Mermaids do exist!” “I never said that they did,” the purple-masked turtle immediately frowned. 

“Ah, what do you guys know?” Raphael snorted, growing tired of the conversation; and being made fun of. “You weren’t there.” “Come on, Raph. Do you really expect us to believe you saw an actual mermaid?” Leonardo asked. “I expect you to trust me! I totally almost drowned; I’m telling you, someone or something saved me!” “And you think that “something” was a mermaid?” As soon as Donatello asked this, everyone else burst out laughing. That was the straw that broke Raphael’s back. 

In a fit of seething rage, the red-masked turtle stood up from the sand and turned to head into the darkness. “Awe, lighten up, Raph. We’re just pulling your shell.” “Shove it!” He angrily began to stomp away. “Don’t leave, Raph!” “Come back, we’re sorry!” “We promise not to make fun of your mermaid friend anymore!” “Mikey!” But Raphael was actively ignoring them by now. Screw them! His green teeth clenched together. I know what I saw; I know that I almost drowned, that something saved me! This made him pause for a moment as he peered out to the water. The full moon’s reflect shimmered on the surface. Hey, that’s right; something did save me……. I’m alive because of them. His gaze lowered onto the sea’s surface. Because of them……. Someone actually saved me life. How come that didn’t feel so……. important before? 

In that moment, Raphael turned forward to see someone standing on the beach in the distance. Who’s this guy? He suddenly got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach; partly because someone saw him and partly because his stare, or rather glare was……. so sharp. He was glaring at him so intently that you could cut the air between them with a knife. “You,” Raphael’s back instinctively as the man- it was a man- unexpectedly addressed him. “Are you the one the princess saved earlier?” “The princess…..? I don’t know any princess!” Raphael didn’t know why he was conversing with this guy. 

His heart gave a little nervous jump as three other figures- all men- seemingly appeared out of nowhere to stand beside the first man. “I’m sorry about the inconvenience, son, but you’re gonna have to come with us.” Go with……. “I’m not going anywhere with you!” Raphael yanked out his sai, ready for action. He didn’t have a clue who these thugs were but he had no qualms about burying them in the sand. “The princess’s father, my boss, is eager to meet you. And he’s not the kind of man you keep waiting.” “Like hell!” “I need you to follow me now.” “Fat chance, loser! I’m not going any-…….” Raphael felt a sharp pain to the neck before he could continue. He had just enough time to check over his shoulder to see a big man behind him; he gave him a side-hand to the neck, effectively knocking him out. He was out cold within seconds. 

“Hey, kid. Wake up!” The next time Raphael’s eyes fluttered open, he found himself face-to-face with this big, burly man. And not just any man by the looks of it, but a mob boss! “Come on, kid! Can you hear me? You ok, kid?” He kept shouting in the turtle’s face like his open eyes weren’t enough of an indicator that he was conscious yet. That’s when Raphael fully came to, immediately sitting up in a panic. W-where am I? Where did these freaks take me?! Panic turned to fear as he realized that his sai and t-phone were missing. And what’s worse, right in front of him were two very long rows of men and mutant sea creatures, all dressed like professional thugs. At the front of the room sat the big man with me on his right side and Grandfather on the left. Daddy was glaring at the turtle very firmly, which was to be expected. 

Raphael just blinked in utter disbelief. He’d heard about mobs and their hideouts before, but he never thought he’d see one in person; much less be kidnapped into one. And on top of that, more mutants! At least I’m not the only one, he thought to himself. Wait…….. I’m not the only one?! “W-where am I?” One of his arms rose up in front of him. “You’re at my house, at the bottom of the sea!” Daddy’s thumb stuck out into his chest. “Bottom of the……. sea?” “It’s a house for sea mutants,” Joe, Daddy’s right-hand man, explained. “Thanks for makin’ the trip all the way down here. I’m Lucrezia’s father, but most people know me as the boss of the local outfit of the De Vries fish commission. My name is Rodrigo De Vries.” “I’m Alexander De Vries; Rodrigo’s father and Lucrezia’s grandfather.” Lucrezia? Who’s Lucrezia? Raphael blinked confused. Ah, who cares! I’m being held captive by genuine monsters! And I thought Shredder was bad. 

“Alright, enough of the small talk. Let’s just cut to the chase here. I’ve brought you down here cause my daughter- my one and only child- saved your life today.” She did?! Raphael blinked to me in surprise; not shock, surprise. Though I guess that’s to be expected. All eyes revered back to Daddy as he gave a little growl. “Now listen close to what I’m about to tell you. We live by the code of the Sea Mutant law, and according to it, any mutant that lets anyone else see their true form is sentenced to death by execution!” Sentenced to…… wait, what?! Raphael felt his palms become sweaty. “We send them off to sleep with the fishes, you see? And there’s nothing we can do about it! It has to be done!” Daddy was beginning to cry beside me. 

“Has to be done…….? Wait a minute! I’m a mutant too! Shouldn’t that cancel out the rule?!” Raphael stood up, feeling his muscles tense up all around his body. No, they’re not gonna kill her, they’re not……. “It doesn’t matter! The code doesn’t specify between land humans and mutants. Whether you’re a human or mutant, my daughter has to die now; and it’s all because of you!” “Me?! I’m not the one sentencing her to death!” “You think this is anyone’s fault but your own?! You’re the lizard who doesn’t know how to swim!” “What did you call me?!” “Son,” Grandfather interrupted in a soft voice. 

This caught Daddy’s attention, who immediately straightened up and fixed his shirt. “So this whole thing got me to thinkin’. Why should a mermaid have to die just for bein’ seen?” Daddy suddenly yanked out his sword, raising it above his head and charging at the poor turtle. “When I can just kill the mutant who saw her instead?!” Before I had time to intervene, Joe already had Daddy by wrapping his arms around his waist. “Boss, calm down!” While he was busy with that, I just let out a small sigh. Well, I made my decision; I knew it would be one of our lives, and I made that choice when I saved him……. “It’s ok; I’m ready.” 

This caught the attention of everyone in the room, especially my father’s. “L-Lucrezia!” “It’s ok, Daddy; really,” I tried to force a grin. “I knew what I was doing when I saved him. There’s no point in it if he dies now. I made the choice; me, not him. He should not pay the price for my decisions.” “I can’t believe this,” Raphael gasped staring at me in utter disbelief. “Are you insane?!” He suddenly yelled at me, catching everyone off guard. “Don’t just offer your life up like that; fight for it! What’s wrong with you mutants?! And hey! I didn’t ask for you to save me; who told you to do that?!” “Uh…….” “ 

“That’s ok, sweetie. You don’t have to listen to the big, mean turtle. Daddy will let care of everything; if you just shut your eyes for a few seconds……..” “Boss! Wait a minute! Boss!” While all the other gang members tried to stop Daddy from squiring the turtle alive, Grandfather came over to speak with him. “I really do apologize for my son. Once his blood gets boiling, there’s no stopping him.” “Uh……. uh……” Raphael didn’t really know how to respond to that. “And my granddaughter is usually very obedient to the Sea Mutant law, but for you, I guess she made an exception.” “I’m an exception?” His eyebrow rose slightly. “You certainly are, Raphael.” “How did you…….?” “We have to adhere to the code, but there is one solution which doesn’t involve any of this killing nonsense.” 

“Nooooooo! Don’t tell him!” Daddy cried loudly from behind. “Well, you see, Raphael; all you have to do is marry my granddaughter.” Marry…… Raphael’s eyes grew wide; wider than they ever had before. “Marry her……?” “Once your family, you can know Lucrezia’s true form. It wouldn’t be an issue then. So, what do you say? You’ll marry into the family, won’t you son?” “Uh, hey wait?” I stood up with a concerned expression. I just saved him; I didn’t say anything about marrying him. “Well, lizard; I hate to say so but there you have it.” Hey wait, wasn’t anyone going to ask me about this? “Your unworthy butt can marry my precious, wonderful, beautiful daughter.” Apparently not! “You’ll take her as your bride, or we’ll just have to murder you.” I never agreed to this! And by the looks of it, neither did Raphael. 

Daddy didn’t like the lag in between his comment and Raphael’s response. “Something wrong with you, punk? You tellin’ me that you- Mr. big, green, ugly mutant- don’t think my daughter is good enough for ya or somethin’?” “I never said that! I just don’t think this is something you can make a guy do! You can’t force love, you know! We don’t even know each other!” “See?” I turned to face Daddy. “He doesn’t wanna get married. We can’t force him to marry me if he doesn’t want to. It would be easier if you just…….!” “Hold on! I didn’t say that you should go sacrificing yourself!” “But…… that’s the only alternative if we don’t get married,” I looked at him with slight confusion. “Besides, I made the decision to…….” Be quiet!” He shot me a sharp glare. “You’re not dying; not while I’m here! So drop it already!” What did he just…….. my eyes grew a little in awe. 

“How dare you yell at her like that! My daughter’s ready to die and you’re lecturing her?!” Daddy leapt to his feet in fury. “There’s no way in hell I’ll let her marry a pathetic worm like you!” He announced, pulling out his sword again. “Son, you ought to respect the bravest decision of a boy’s life,” Grandfather chastised. “But I never agreed to the marriage!” Raphael and I declared at the same time. “Really, Raphael; you’d be dead if it wasn’t for her. So it only makes sense that give your life for her now,” Grandfather then said to him. “But I don’t want to get married!” I shouted as loud as I could. “Same goes for me!” All of a sudden, Raphael made a bolt for the door. Bad move. Now he was being chased by every member of the gang, and they were each armed with swords and daggers. On top of which, he opened the wrong door, letting in a flood of sea water throughout the base. All the gang members, along with Raphael, were instantly swept up. 

“Gah! Where did that brat go!?” I heard Daddy yell. “The water swept him into the house!” One of the thugs said floating by. “Rip him to shreds, Shark Paul!” Shark Paul!? Raphael ran down the hallway as fast as he could, not pausing to glance back. Oh great! They have a shark too!? Before Raphael could meet with our uh, toothy member, I suddenly took hold of his arm and pulled him into a side room. Locking the door behind us, I huffed and turned to face him. “Alright, we need to get you out of here, now.” “Uh, yeah; ok. And how do you plan on doing that? We’re on the bottom of the ocean.” “Just hold your breath and let me take the lead.” “Huh?”

Taking Raphael to the back door, I opened it, transforming to my mermaid self. His eyes grew in astonishment. “Wow! You really are a mermaid!” “Hold your breath!” I ignored his comment. Taking hold of his hand, I swam us up to the surface as fast as my tail would go. Raphael was not a happy camper through the journey. Just how many times am I going to have to be saved today? And by a mermaid too. 

We reached the surface within about a minute and a half, where Raphael took a huge breath. I brought him to a nearby tunnel where I know he’d be safe and could make his escape. “If you just follow this tunnel out, you’ll be fine.” “Come on then!” He said to me like he was expecting me to go with him. I just looked at my tail in response. But I don’t think that’s the reaction he was looking for. Before I knew what was happening, I felt my whole body being lifted out of the water. Raphael scooped me up into his arms princess style- no pun intended- and immediately started running. Wait, why was he taking me with him? I don’t remember consenting to that! 

“Leave this to me! I’ll have us outta here in no time!” “Um, well, I don’t need to run like you do,” I responded honestly. “But doesn’t it mean you’ll have to die if I get away?” “You don’t have to worry about that.” “You idiot! Of course I’m worried about it!” Huh? Again, I blinked up at him with wide eyes. W-why did he care? That was no concern of his…… was it? He didn’t say anything again until we were finally outside the cave. He placed me on a nearby smooth rock and bend down to take a few deep breaths. “Are you ok, Lucrezia?” He’s asking if I’m ok? He’s the one who did all the running. “I-I’m fine. Are you ok?” “Oh yeah! That was nothing; I’m doin’ great!” Uh huh, sure you are. “I wonder if that psycho is still chasing us?” I guess he meant Daddy. “Probably.” “That man is deranged.” “He’s also my father,” I frowned. This made Raphael look at me. 

“Hey, now that we got some time, I got a question for ya. Why’d you save me if you knew you’d have to die in my place?” He crossed his arms like he was somehow unimpressed by this. “Why’d I save you…….?” I blinked. Huh, I never really thought about it. “I…… I don’t know. I just saw you drowning and realized that……. I couldn’t let that happen.” “Why? You don’t even know me.” “That doesn’t matter. You were dying and it was the right thing to do. Would you have let me drown if you had the chance to save me?” I looked him straight in the eye. 

Raphael didn’t answer right away, opting to peer to the side and rub the back of his head awkwardly. Eventually though he broke the silence. “I mean, if it was your life or mine……..” He didn’t continue on with his sentence, instead turning his head to face me straight on. He let out the tiniest of defeated sighs. “Yes, I guess I would have done the same thing…….. Not because you’re really pretty or anything! I just…… I don’t know! I just would do it.” “Exactly. I know exactly what that feels like.” And we stared at each other for what felt like the first time- the first real time. 

“Raphael, listen to me.” Alright, enough of this; time to get serious. “You need to get away. Go as far away from the sea as possible. Leave and forget about me; I didn’t want to doom you to any of this. That wasn’t my plan. You need to go; I made my choice- my choice, not yours. So just leave; it’ll be ok.” “Yeah right!” This made him mad……. for some reason. “I can’t just leave you like this! Those guys will tear you to shreds. I’m not gonna let them kill you like that! That’s sick!” “B-but this has nothing to do with you; this is my decision and I should suffer the consequences…….” “Like hell! Would you stop talking like that?! This does have something to do with me- a lot to do with me. We’re in this together, so shut up about it, ok?! I’m not leaving you! You got that?!” 

I would have been swooning a little, if it wasn’t for the fact that my father and practically whole gang burst out of the water in that second. “There you are, you lizard!” Oh boy; here we go again, I inwardly rolled my eyes. “I knew I’d find ya! You really think you could get away, you loser?! Someone! Anyone! Take him down!” “Daddy, please stop!” I cried. This had gone on for long enough. He needed to calm down and Raphael needed to get out. “I can’t really say it’s been nice knowin’ ya,” utterly ignoring me, Daddy brought out his sword and pointed it in Raphael’s direction. The red-masked turtle’s eyes grew in realization. No matter what, I’ll never be able to run away from this lunatic……. His heart skipped a beat as he gazed back at me. “No, Daddy! Stop, please!” I would have made a run for him, if it wasn’t for my tail. “Your death will save my daughter’s life, so take it like a man!” I’ll never escape, unless……. Raphael’s heart skipped a beat- several beats in fact. 

Then, the most astounding thing happened; something that I wished didn’t. “Hold on!” Raphael’s two big, green hands planted themselves down onto the ground as he bowed his head respectful. Oh no, my eyes began to widen…… No, please no! I didn’t ask for this! I’m not ready! “I’d like permission to marry your daughter!” Oh god, no! I don’t care if it’s just for show, I cringed so hard inside; I don’t want to get married! Not to him or anyone! No, no, no! This is not what I wanted! “Well,” Grandfather, who was standing behind my father, gave a little grin. “There you have it, son. He said it; you can’t kill him because……..” No, I winced my eyes shut. “He’s going to be your son-in-law.” Over my dead body! My eyes winced so hard. I’d rather die than be in some arranged marriage! 

“You maggot,” Daddy growled. He clearly wasn’t happy about this either. “Think you’ve squirmed your way out of this one, do you? While you’re wrong! I’ll never let Lucrezia marry you!” “Really! You need to respect your daughter’s independence!” “There’s nothing independent about this!” I hollered at Grandfather. “Will you shut up, Dad?! Any bastard that gets close to Lucy is gonna be fish food!” Oh my god! I grabbed both sides of my head while Raphael got in a yelling war with Daddy. This is never gonna end! I’m either gonna wind up married or dead, and it looks like I don’t get a say in it!


End file.
